Saturday, July 23, 2011

Effective today - July 23, 2011 - I shall no longer be mirroring articles on this blog site. Please navigate to eFoodAlert on Wordpress to continue following my recall posts and commentaries on food safety outbreaks and issues.

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Many thanks to all my loyal readers. I hope you revisit eFoodAlert often.

Friday, July 22, 2011

This is a mirror of eFoodAlert on WordPress. To subscribe to automatic email alerts, please go to the eFoodAlert on WordPress blog page and complete the EMAIL SUBSCRIPTION form.

Here is today's list of food safety recalls, product withdrawals, allergy alerts and miscellaneous compliance issues. The live links will take you directly to the official recall notices and company news releases that contain detailed information for each recall and alert.

United States

Food Recall:Buehler's (Smith's) recalls 2% Milk (1/2 gallon containers; Lot code July 27), because the milk may have oxidized. This is not a safety issue, according to Buehler's.

FDA Enforcement Action: The US District Court for the Western District has granted FDA's motion for summary judgment and entered an order of permanent injunction against Rhody Dairy, LLC and its owner, after Rhody Dairy failed to administer drugs to animals with adequate control measures, such as keeping complete records to ensure that animals are not over-medicated or sent to slaughter too soon after treatment with animal drugs. According to the ruling, these practices constitute “insanitary conditions” that may render food harmful to health under the Act. Legal action was taken after FDA investigators documented the farm's unlawful practices during several inspections over the course of the past decade.

Food Safety Recall (UK):Sainsbury's recalls Taste the Difference Melting Middle 2 Smoked Haddock with Cheddar and Leek Fishcakes ( Use by 14 July 2011), because the product may be contaminated with small pieces of metal.

Food Safety Recall (Denmark):O. Kavli A/S recalls Sunsweet prunes (400g bag; Best before October 2012), because some of the prunes have fermented.

Food Safety Withdrawal (Norway):Nelson Garden withdraws Product Number 5665 Hot Mix Series Primo Vitamino seed mix for sprouting, because the seed mix contains fenugreek seeds that were imported from Egypt. The withdrawn seed mix was on the market since November 2010.

Outbreak Alert Update (France): The strain of E. coli O104:H4 that was behind the outbreak in Gironde (Bordeaux) has been determined to correspond genetically to the strain that was recovered during the German outbreak.

Some supermarket chains post recall notices on their web sites for the convenience of customers. To see whether a recalled food was carried by your favorite supermarket, follow the live link to the supermarket's recall web site.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

This is a mirror of eFoodAlert on WordPress. To subscribe to automatic email alerts, please go to the eFoodAlert on WordPress blog page and complete the EMAIL SUBSCRIPTION form.

Here is today's list of food safety recalls, product withdrawals, allergy alerts and miscellaneous compliance issues. The live links will take you directly to the official recall notices and company news releases that contain detailed information for each recall and alert.

Food Safety Recall/Outbreak Alert (Denmark):Urtekram A/S recalls Nutana Vegetarian Pâtés (170g can; Best before 25.04.14) and Organic Tofu (500g glass jar, 260g drained weight; Best before 26.04.2014 and 10.05.2014) because the products may contain botulinum toxin. A 16-year-old boy from Copenhagen has been hospitalized with suspected food-borne botulism. The case is suspected to be linked to the consumption either of Nutana Vegetarian Pâté or Organic Tofu, both of which were imported by Urtekram. The investigation is still in progress.

Food Safety Recall (Denmark):SuperGros A/S recalls Save brand Mackerel in Tomato (4-pack; best before 19.05.2014) because pieces of aluminum were found in some of the gaskets.

Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall (France):Therabel Lucien Pharma recalls Helacidine 10% Syrup (250ml bottle; Lot #163912Z and 164912Z; Expiry 12/2014), because the label omits to mention that the syrup is contraindicated for children under the age of two years.

Food Safety Alert (Hong Kong): The Centre for Food Safety announces that two samples of Taiwan-style drinks "peach red tea" and "lychee juice green tea" taken at two local drinks shops were found to contain the plasticizer DEHP. The CFS has instructed the concerned shops to immediately stop sale of those two kinds of drinks.

Some supermarket chains post recall notices on their web sites for the convenience of customers. To see whether a recalled food was carried by your favorite supermarket, follow the live link to the supermarket's recall web site.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

This is a mirror of eFoodAlert on WordPress. To subscribe to automatic email alerts, please go to the eFoodAlert on WordPress blog page and complete the EMAIL SUBSCRIPTION form.

Here is today's list of food safety recalls, product withdrawals, allergy alerts and miscellaneous compliance issues. The live links will take you directly to the official recall notices and company news releases that contain detailed information for each recall and alert.

Outbreak Alert Update: CDC reports that, as of July 18, 2011, 241 people in 42 states have been infected with Salmonella Typhimurium. The infections are associated with African dwarf frogs from Blue Lobster Farms, an African dwarf frog breeding facility in Madera County, California. The owner of the breeding facility voluntarily stopped shipping frogs in late April 2011, but resumed shipments in early June.

Food Safety Alert (France): A piece of glass was found in a plastic container of Blédina (Danone) fruit compote for children. The glass was discovered by a man in Gard who was feeding the product to his 19-month grandson. An investigation is in progress.

Outbreak Alert (Hong Kong): The Centre for Health Protection is investigating two suspected food poisoning outbreaks involving two groups of four people who lunched at a restaurant in Shatin on July 18th. Four of the eight people sought medical treatment; one required hospitalization, but has since been discharged.

Counterfeit Product Alert (Singapore): The Health Sciences Authority alerts the public to the sale in local optical shops of counterfeit colored contact lenses, fraudulently labeled as "FreshLook® ColorBlends® Contact Lenses from CIBA VISION". Please navigate to the HSA notice for details.

Some supermarket chains post recall notices on their web sites for the convenience of customers. To see whether a recalled food was carried by your favorite supermarket, follow the live link to the supermarket's recall web site.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

This is a mirror of eFoodAlert on WordPress. To subscribe to automatic email alerts, please go to the eFoodAlert on WordPress blog page and complete the EMAIL SUBSCRIPTION form.

Here is today's list of food safety recalls, product withdrawals, allergy alerts and miscellaneous compliance issues. The live links will take you directly to the official recall notices and company news releases that contain detailed information for each recall and alert.

Food/Water Safety Advisory (New Jersey): The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has issued a reminder that harvesting blue claw crabs from the waters of the Lower Passaic River and Newark Bay is prohibited, as scientists have found that crabs from those waters continue to show harmful levels of cancer-causing dioxin and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), as well as other contaminants, including mercury.

Allergy Alert:Salamina Inc. recalls Bacon and Back Bacon Topping (5 Kg; Codes 179185 and 172187), due to the presence of undeclared soy. The recalled product was distributed to hotels, restaurants, and institutional customers in Ontario and Quebec.

Allergy Alert:KO & C Enterprises Ltd. recalls Yuh Ming Dried Marinated Mustard (70g), due to the presence of undeclared sulphites. The recalled product was sold in retail stores in British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec.

Outbreak Alert (Ontario): A patient at Welland Hospital has become the 23rd fatality in an outbreak of Clostridium difficile, which has plagued the Niagara region since May 28th. At least 20 of the 23 patient deaths were due to hospital-acquired C. difficile infections.

Food Withdrawal (Denmark):Dansk Supermarked withdraws ATCO Almonds (200g, 500g and 1000g packs; imported from Germany; all lots with package date of 03.03.2011 onwards), due to traces of moths in the bags of almonds.

Outbreak Alert (UK-Northern Ireland): Seven cases of Clostridium difficile have been reported in the South Eastern Trust area, including one case of the virulent 027 strain at Ulster Hospital. There also has been an outbreak of Norovirus at the Ulster Hospital, with up to 50 patients and staff having been affected with vomiting and diarrhea.

Outbreak Alert (Ukraine): As of July 16th, 23 cases of Vibrio cholerae (O1 serogroup, El Tor biovar, serovar Ogawa) have been reported in Mariupol. The city is maintaining a ban on swimming and fishing in the Azov sea and in local rivers.

Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall (Hong Kong): The Department of Health orders GlaxoSmithKline Limited to recall Augmentin 375mg tablets, because samples of the product were found to contain the plasticizers DIDP, DEHP and DINP.

Some supermarket chains post recall notices on their web sites for the convenience of customers. To see whether a recalled food was carried by your favorite supermarket, follow the live link to the supermarket's recall web site.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

This is a mirror of eFoodAlert on WordPress. To subscribe to automatic email alerts, please go to the eFoodAlert on WordPress blog page and complete the EMAIL SUBSCRIPTION form.

Here is today's list of food safety recalls, product withdrawals, allergy alerts and miscellaneous compliance issues. The live links will take you directly to the official recall notices and company news releases that contain detailed information for each recall and alert.

United States

Allergy Alert:Willamette Valley Fruit Company (Salem, OR) recalls all Whole Foods Market brand Apple, Cherry and Marionberry pies (8" pies in square white boxes with see-through window; Pack Dates of July 1-13, 2011; Sell by dates of July 6-18, 2011), due to the presence of undeclared butter. The recalled pies were sold in 35 Whole Foods Market stores in Northern California and Nevada.

Food Safety Recall Update:Whole Foods Market advises its Canadian customers that Sol Cuisine brand Spicy Bean Burgers (364g package; lot code 06711), which were recalled by the manufacturer due to possible contamination with Salmonella, were sold in Whole Foods Market stores in Canada.

Europe

Food Safety Notification/Outbreak Alert Update (EU #2011.0842): Fenugreek seeds from Egypt (via the Netherlands and Germany, and packaged in the United Kingdom) that were implicated in the E. coli O104:H4 outbreak, are known to have been distributed in the following 25 countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

Some supermarket chains post recall notices on their web sites for the convenience of customers. To see whether a recalled food was carried by your favorite supermarket, follow the live link to the supermarket's recall web site.

Friday, July 15, 2011

This is a mirror of eFoodAlert on WordPress. To subscribe to automatic email alerts, please go to the eFoodAlert on WordPress blog page and complete the EMAIL SUBSCRIPTION form.

Here is today's list of food safety recalls, product withdrawals, allergy alerts and miscellaneous compliance issues. The live links will take you directly to the official recall notices and company news releases that contain detailed information for each recall and alert.

United States

Allergy Alert Update:Bruce Foods Corporation (New Iberia, LA) recalls mislabeled cans of Food Club Red Enchilada Sauce, 10-oz cans (Code ECH 451244; Best Before 5/13/2015), that may contain Green Enchilada Sauce instead of Red. The mislabeled cans contain undeclared wheat and soy, which is present in the Green Enchilada Sauce. The recalled product was sold in retail stores between 5/31/2011 and 7/02/2011 in Texas, Virginia, Minnesota, Alabama, and Ohio.

Food Safety Recall (Ohio):Valley Farm Meats (dba Strasburg Provision, Inc.) recalls beef products due to possible contamination with prohibited materials (spinal cord and vertebral column). The recall includes all beef products slaughtered and processed by or purchased from Valley Farm Meats retail store in Strasburg, OH, or from Ed Lind Livestock and Poultry in Medina, OH. The recalled products were produced between 01/28/2011 and 07/05/2011 and offered for sale from 01/28/2011 through 07/11/2011.

Food Safety Recall:Sid Wainer & Son, Inc. (New Bedford, MA) recalls imported ready-to-eat Magret de Canard Fumé Seche/Dried Smoked Duck Breast (Product of Canada; Lot No. 111217; Package code 11JN20; Best before 11DE17), because the product may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled products were distributed for institutional use in Connecticut, Illinois, New York and Pennsylvania.

Food Safety Recall:Palmex, Inc. (Champlain, NY) recalls imported ready-to-eat Magret de Canard Fumé Seche/Dried Smoked Duck Breast (Product of Canada; Lot No. 111217; Package code 11JN20; Best before 11DE17), because the product may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled products were sent to distribution centers in California and exported to the Dominican Republic.

Outbreak Alert: Teton County (Wyoming) public health officials have confirmed several cases of norovirus in northwest Wyoming in the past few weeks. Illness reports have been logged in Jackson, Teton Village, and Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. Separately, the Wyoming Department of Health is tracking a sharp increase in reported cases of Campylobacter across the state.

Outbreak Alert: Wicomico County (Maryland) Health Department is investigating a cluster of reported foodborne illnesses that officials believe is linked to a fish fry held in Salisbury on July 1st. At least some of the illnesses involve Salmonella.

Outbreak Alert: The CDC is investigating an increase in cases of Campylobacter gastroenteritis in Yuma County (Arizona) and San Luis Rio Colorado (Sonora, Mexico) over the past three months, accompanied by an increase in cases of Guillain-Barré Syndrome - a known secondary complication associated with Campylobacter infections.

Outbreak Alert: The Federal Bureau of Prisons has confirmed that a Salmonella outbreak occurred at the U.S. Penitentiary-Canaan (Waymart, PA), a high-security federal prison. More than 300 inmates and staff developed salmonellosis after consuming tainted chicken served in fajitas on June 25th, according to the Associated Press report. The food was all cooked and prepared on site.

Outbreak Alert: The Rhode Island Department of Health has received a report of a laboratory-confirmed case of Vibrio parahaemolyticus infection in a male in his 70s who ate raw clams earlier this month. The Department is not certain where the clams were harvested. The man was treated and is recovering.

Canada

Allergy Alert:Dai Jung Distributing recalls Lee brand Lemon Grass from Fresh Stems (200g; SLM MFG:28AUG2010BB:31AUG2012), due to the presence of undeclared sulphites. The recalled product was distributed through retailers in Ontario and Quebec.

Food Safety Recall (France):Earl la fromagerie du Paou recalls La Biquette d'Argoat brand raw milk goat cheeses (Best before dates up to July 16, 2011) after Listeria monocytogenes was detected. The recalled cheeses were sold in Leclerc, Super U, UExpress, Intermarché, and Shopi stores, and also were sold directly from the Paou farm in Plougonver.

Food Safety Recall (Norway):Nordic Garden AS recalls Weibull Spire Mix seeds for sprouting (all lots) because fenugreek seeds from Egypt are included in the seed mixture and may be contaminated with E. coli O104:H4.

Food Safety Alert (Switzerland): The Swiss government has followed the lead of the European Union in temporarily banning the importation of seeds and beans from Egypt, in light of the E. coli O104:H4 epidemic in which one batch of fenugreek seeds from Egypt was implicated.

Health Alert (PRC): A duck processor in central China has been dumping duck excrement and dead animals directly into a river, killing fish and polluting the water. As many as 100,000 people may have been sickened as a result of the actions of the processor.

Outbreak Alert (Hong Kong): The Centre for Health Protection is investigating a suspected outbreak of food poisoning involving 13 people who participated in an office lunch party on July 11th. Eleven of the 13 victims consulted a medical practitioner, and one person was hospitalized.

Food Safety Recall:Palmex, Inc. (Champlain, NY) recalls imported ready-to-eat Magret de Canard Fumé Seche/Dried Smoked Duck Breast (Product of Canada; Lot No. 111217; Package code 11JN20; Best before 11DE17), because the product may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled products were sent to distribution centers in California and exported to the Dominican Republic.

Outbreak Alert: The CDC is investigating an increase in cases of Campylobacter gastroenteritis in Yuma County (Arizona) and San Luis Rio Colorado (Sonora, Mexico) over the past three months, accompanied by an increase in cases of Guillain-Barré Syndrome - a known secondary complication associated with Campylobacter infections.

Some supermarket chains post recall notices on their web sites for the convenience of customers. To see whether a recalled food was carried by your favorite supermarket, follow the live link to the supermarket's recall web site.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

This is a mirror of eFoodAlert on WordPress. To subscribe to automatic email alerts, please go to the eFoodAlert on WordPress blog page and complete the EMAIL SUBSCRIPTION form.

Here is today's list of food safety recalls, product withdrawals, allergy alerts and miscellaneous compliance issues. The live links will take you directly to the official recall notices and company news releases that contain detailed information for each recall and alert.

United States

Food Safety Recall:Food City advises that Food Club Red Enchilada Sauce, 10 oz has been recalled.

Outbreak Alert:barfblog reports that Manatee County Health Department is investigating a case of Vibrio vulnificus infection contracted from eating oysters.

Canada

Allergy Alert: CFIA warns the public that Healthy Times brand Brown Rice Cereal for Baby (6 oz/170g pkg; Product of USA; Lot 02711; Use by 15 JAN 2013) contains undeclared gluten, and is being recalled by the Canadian importers of the product. One allergic reaction has been reported. The recalled product was distributed in Ontario and may have been distributed nationally.

Outbreak Alert Update (Switzerland):Norovirus has been confirmed as the cause of an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis that sickened a total of 60 military recruits last week.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

Food Safety Recall (Hong Kong): The distributor and importer were warned by the Centre for Food Safety to recall San Bu Bridge Kaiping Preserved Bean Curd (1,000g per bottle; Product of China; Best Before July 29, 2012 and November 29, 2012), manufactured by Kaiping Chuang Feng Trading Company Limited of Guangdong, after the Centre for Food Safety found elevated numbers of Bacillus cereus in samples drawn from the two recalled production lots.

Proprietary Medicine Safety Recall (Hong Kong): The Department of Health instructs Chaisentomg Pharmaceutical Factory Limited to recall five powdered medicines, as they were found to exceed the stated product weight.

Some supermarket chains post recall notices on their web sites for the convenience of customers. To see whether a recalled food was carried by your favorite supermarket, follow the live link to the supermarket's recall web site.